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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — the fish
  4. press — newspapers
  5. charge — electricity
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. drill — the tool
  8. march — the month
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. press — a publisher
  12. press — to push
  13. march — music
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. charge — a price
  16. drill — a practice
  17. wake — a trail
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. tube — the underground
  20. tube — a container
  21. drill — army training
  22. march — the month
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. arm — a part of something

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com